Target.



A. MAURER.

TARGET.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.2l. I916.

Patented Jan. 2, 1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

ATTORNEY A. MAURER.

TARGET.

APPLICATION FILED Aus.21. 1916.

1 210 512.. Patented Jan. 2,1917.

7 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2. F ,2

ALBERT MAURER, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

TARGET.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 23, 1917.

Application filed August 21, 1916. Serial No. 115,945.

.1; New York, N. Y., have invented certain new and useful Improvementsin Targets, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to an improved target especially adapted for use asa toy target, that is for use in connection with an air rifle or otherarm projecting bullets with low velocity, although its usefulness is notrestricted to this type.

My improved target comprises a bullseye plate or member which is drivenrearwardly a slight distance by the impact of projectiles thereon, suchrearward movement serving to release a depressed signalcarrying arm froma detent to enable the signal to be displayed; the raising of the signalalso causes the actuation of the bell or other audible signal.Preferably the raising of the signal-arm causes the closing of a contactin an electrical circuit which continuously operates the bell or alarmuntil the connection has been broken. The breaking of the connection andthe resetting of the parts may be accomplished from the position of theuser of the target by the pulling of a cord which may be extended alongthe ground from the target to him.

The object of my invention is to provide a device of this characterhaving various improved features of construction as will hereinafter bemore fully set forth. Among these constructional features may be mentioned the mounting of the bulls eye plate and connections in suchmanner that the same may readily be swung into a compact position sothat the device will take up but little space for packing andtransportation.

In order that a clearer understanding of my invention may be had,attention is hereby directed to the accompanying drawings forming partof this application illustrating the preferred embodiment of myinvention.

In the drawings Figure 1 represents a front elevation of the device,Fig. 2 represents a side elevation of the same, Fig. 3 is a verticalsection taken on the line 33 of Fig. 1, Fig. 4 is a side elevation ofthe same on a smaller scale showing the parts in their inoperativeposition ready for packing, Fig. 5 is a rear elevation of the bulls-eyeplate and pivoted arm connected thereto shown on the line 5-5 of Fig. 3and Fig. 6 is an'enlarg'ed detail sectional view showing the spring andcontact for actuating the hell or alarm.

Referring to the drawings, the target 1, a plate of circular form, issecured on the upper end of the support consisting of the legs 2, 2,which are joined together by crosspieces 3, r, 5 and 6. The leg 7 isalso de tachably secured to the device as will hereinafter be described,and is adapted to eX- tend rearwardly at an angle to form a three leggedtripod.

The target 1 is provided with a central circular opening above the topof the legs 2, inwhich opening the bulls-eye plate 8 is adapted toextend. Plate 8 is secured by screw 9 on the end of a plunger 10, whichis slidably mounted in a cylinder 11 having a spiral spring 12 mountedin the outer end thereof, to resist rearward movement of the plunger andbulls-eye plate and to normally hold the bulls eye plate in its positionin the opening in the target. Cylinder 11 is preferably formed integralwith a supporting member 13, the construction preferably comprising asingle sheet of metal bent to shape with a pair of outwardly extendingflanges 14 at the lower edges, the metal being bent upwardly from oneflange 14 to form a vertical web-portion 13, thence cylindrically toform the cylinder 11, thence vertically downward to form a web-portionparallel to the member 13 shown, and thence outwardly to form the otherflange corresponding to the flange 14 shown; the two web-portions 13lying against each other and being secured together by rivets 15 asshown in Fig. 2. The flanges let are secured upon the plate 16 ofsomewhat less length than the flanges 14:, plate 16 resting upon abottom plate 17, equal in length to the flanges 14-.

Cylinder 11 and its supporting meinl'ier are mounted upon a bracket 18which can tends rearwardly below the opening in the bracket for thebulls-eye plate, this bracket having a vertical arm which is preferablysecured in position between the upper ends of legs 2 and the lowerportion of target 1, as shown. Member 13 is preferably con nected tobracket 18 by a hinge construction, as shown, so that it may be swunginto vertical position to make a more compact structure to facilitatepacking. As shown, this may be accomplished by means of the hingemember19 having one leaf secured to the bracket 18 and the other leaf securedbetween the flanges 14 and the bottom plate 17 of thecylinder-supporting member.

An arm or rod 20 is secured at its upper end to plunger 10, slightly tothe rear of the bulls-eye plate, by means of a yoke 21. Bod, 20 isprovided with an offset portion adjacent to its upper end to enable itto pass around bracket 18 and at its lower end it is pivoted to one ofthe supporting legs 2. Preferably the pivotal connection of rod 20 withleg 2 is made readily detachable to enable member 13 to be swung intoits vertical position for packing and transportation. Accordingly, thelower end of rod 20 is preferably provided with an off-set portion 22upon which is pivotally mounted a short strap 23 having a sleeve'portion2a encircling the horizontal arm 22 of rod 20, the horizontal portion 22preferably being threaded and provided with a. pair of nuts secure thestrap 23 to leg 2. Rod 20 is therefore pivotally movable about sleeve 2ato enable the same to swing forward and back as plunger 10 moves forwardand back.

The signal arm 28 is pivoted at 29 to the cross-bar el and is providedat one end with a counterweight 30 and at the other with a sgnal device31, which may be a representation of a bird, flag or the like. Thissignal device is normally held in depressed position with arm 28horizontal by means of the detent pin 32, which is mounted on rod 20 andslidably extends through a bearing tube 33 in cross-bar 4;. The forwardend of pin 32 extends normally through cross-bar 4. above signal arm 28,on the opposite side of pivot 29 from the counterweight 30, to holdsignal 31 depressed. Spring 12 in cylinder 1 normally holds this detentpinforward in operative position but a rearward movement of plunger 10when the bulls-eye is hit causes the withdrawal of pin 32, to permitsignal device 31 to rise into position in front of the bullseye. Theforward end of pin 32 is beveled on its upper surface to permit thesignal arm to wipe over the same when it is lowered into normal positionon being reset. Preferably pin 32 is slidably mounted on rod 20, byforming the pin with an eyelet or yoke-portion 34 through which rod 20extends, so that when the device is put in condition for shipping pin 32will slide down on horizontal portion' 22 and hang vertically, out ofthe way.

Member 13 and cylinder 11 are held in their normal horizontal positionswith bulls-eye plate 8 in its operative posit-ion, by means of inclinedleg 7 of the support. For this purpose the bottom-plate 17 of theplunger supporting arm is provided with a horizontal strap 35 throughwhich may be slid the bent upper end 36 of leg 7, leg 7 having a bentfoot-portion 37 adapted to rest on the ground. Leg 7 being of properlength, it is' obvious that this engagement of portion 36 of the leg,through strap 35, with plate 17 and bracket 18, holds member 13 inhorizontal position with flanges 14 and plates 16 and 17 in alinementwith rearwardly extending bracket 18. Screws may also be passed throughmembers 36 and 18 to hold the parts firmly together.

The preferred means for ringing the bell when the bulls-eye is hit, willnow be described. p l

A dry cell or other source of electrical current 38 is secured to one ofthe legs 2 and a bell 39, together with a device for sounding the bell40,.are secured on the other leg 2. An electrical connection 41 extendsfrom one terminal of the ringing device 40 into the interior ofcross-bar 5 wherein is provided a normally open spring-contact makercomprising the spring-arm a2 and the fixed contact 4:3, with which isconnected the conductor l l. This latter is connected to one terminal ofbattery 38, the other terminal of the battery being connected by a wire45 to the other terminal of the ringing device 10. Device 10 containssuitable apparatus for causing the hammer 4:6 to strike continuously onbell 39 during the time that the circuit is completed by the engagementof contacts 42 and 43. I

A flexible cord l? is secured at its upper end to signal arm 28 andpasses downwardly through an opening in cross-bar 5 and thence around apulley 48 on cross-bar 6. The cord 4:7 may extend along the ground frompulley 48 to the position of the marksman. 47 below cross-arm 5 and isso arranged as to come into contact with spring-arm 42 to press the sameinto contact with terminal 43 when signal 31 rises into its upperposition, this mechanism being shown in Fig. 6.

It is thought that the operation will now be fully apparent. l/Vhen thebulls-eye is struck, arm 20 moves rearwardly, immediately withdrawingpin 32 from above signal arm 28, permitting signal 31 to rise andcausing disk %9 to close the circuit of bellactuator 40, thereby causingthe bell to sound continuously until the device is reset. The

device may be resetby the marksman, with- A small disk 49 is secured oncord out leaving his position, by simply drawing cord l7 toward himuntil signal arm 28 is otal connection with leg 2 and hanging verticallyfrom the plunger 10.

I-Iaving described my invention, What I claim as new therein and desireto secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In a target, the combination of a support, a target thereon having anopening therein, a bulls-eye plate in alinement with the opening, aplunger to which said plate is secured, a bracket secured to saidsupport, a cylinder carried thereby, in which said plunger extends,resilient means therein adapted to press said plate forward into theopening, an arm secured to said plunger at one end and pivoted to saidsupport at the other, an arm pivoted to the front of said support,having a counterweight at one end and a signal device at the other, anda horizontal detent slidably mounted in said support, secured to saidfirst named arm, and adapted to extend into cooperative relation to saidsignal arm to normally hold the same in depressed position, said detentbeing releasable by rearward impact on said bulls-eye plate,substantially as set forth.

2. In a target, the combination of a support, a target thereon having anopening therein, a bulls-eye plate adapted to be alined withsaidopening, a plunger to which said plate is secured, a rearwardlyextending bracket secured to the upper portion of said support, a membercarrying a cylinder, hinged to said bracket, and adapted to extendrearwardly or hang vertically therefrom, said plunger extending intosaid cylinder, said cylinder being arranged to resiliently resistrearward movement of said plunger therein, and means for securing saidmember in its upper, rearwardly extending position, with said bulls-eyeplate alined with said opening, substantially aS set forth.

3. In a target, the combination of a pair of supporting legs, a targetthereon having an opening therein, a bulls-eye plate adapted to bealined with said opening, a plunger to which said plate is secured, arearwa-rdly extending bracket secured to the upper ends of said legs, amember carrying a cylinder and having a horizontal base portion, hingedto said bracket and adapted to extend rearwardly or hang verticallytherefrom, said plunger extending into said cylinder, said base portionhaving a strap thereon, and a third supporting leg adapted to extend tothe rear, and having a bent upper portion removably inserted throughsaid strap, when mounted in position, to hold said member and cylinderin its upper, rearwardly-extending position, substantially as set forth.

4. In a target, the combination of a support, a target thereon having anopening therein, a bulle-eye plate adapted to be alined with saidopening, a plunger to which said plate is secured, a member hinged toCopies of this patent may be obtained for said support, and havingguiding means in which said plunger is carried, said member beingadapted to extend rearwardly in operative, or hang vertically, ininoperative position, an arm secured to said plunger at its upper endand having an offset portion at its lower end, a strap pivotally mountedon said ofi-set portion, means for removably securing said strap to saidsupport, a detent pin mounted on said arm, a bearing in the support forsaid pin, when said member is in its operative position, and a signalarm held in depressed position by said detent pin, and released therebywhen said plunger and pin are moved rearwardly, substantially as setforth.

5. In a target, the combination of a pair of supporting legs, havingupper and lower cross bars, a target above the same having an openingtherein, a bulls-eye plate mounted in alinement with said opening, ahorizontally-movable member carrying said plate, a

vertical rod connected to said member and pivoted to one of said legs, abearing tube in one of said cross bars, a detent pin on said rodextending through said tube, a counterweighted signal arm pivoted onsaid cross bar and normally held in depressed position by said detentpin, and means for sounding a signal when said arm is released,substantially as set forth.

6. In a target, the combination of a pair of supporting legs, havingupper and lower cross bars, a target above the same having an openingtherein, a bulls-eye plate mounted in alinement with said opening, ahorizontally-movable member carrying said plate, a vertical rodconnected to said member and pivoted to one of said legs, a bearing inone of said cross bars, a slidable detent pin on said rod extendingthrough said bearing, a signal arm pivoted on said cross bar andnormally held in depressed position by said pin, anelectrically-operated bell-sounding device and battery mounted on saidlegs, connections between the same, including a normally open pair ofcontacts mounted in another one of said cross bars, and means forclosing said contacts when said signal arm rises, comprising a cordsecured to said signal arm and passing through said last-named crossbar, said cord having an enlargement thereon adapted to press saidcontacts together when said signal arm rises, substantially as setforth.

This specification signed and witnessed this 18 day of August, 1916.

ALBERT MAURER. Witnesses:

DYER SMITH, WILLIAM HIMMELREIGH.

Washington, I). G.

